The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) is conducting final validation checks on around 200 farmers participating in the Suckler Carbon Efficiency Programme (SCEP), a scheme aimed at providing support to beef farmers to improve the environmental sustainability of the national beef herd. If these farmers are found non-compliant with the eligibility requirement to complete the mandatory SCEP training by November 15, 2024 or December 19, 2024, they will be removed from the programme and any monies received will be recouped. The scheme currently has 16,610 participants.